Monty Chimes: Stop Complaining, Start Traveling

Ryder Cup Captain Gone Wild?

As if Martin Dempster’s needless article defending Westwood’s return to the top spot wasn’t enough, now we have Colin “rabbit ears” Montgomerie joining the fray.

“What are they really complaining about?” said Montgomerie. “Is it the fact that they are not getting as many points for their events and we are? Well, the domination was in America the last ten years and they were getting more points than we were. The BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this year will damn near be a major championship points-wise because we have six out of the top ten in the world so it’s going to be a huge event points-wise. The Americans are complaining because what happens is that the more top-ranked players you have the more points you generate. It’s true that Tiger (Woods] and Phil (Mickelson] are the only two that travel on a regular basis and can gain points that way. The PGA at Wentworth is open to the top 50 in the world whether you are a member of our Tour or not. Like their TPC in America. They’re very welcome to come over and play in the PGA, try to win and gain more points and climb the rankings the way that we tried to do in our day when we went to the TPC because that’s where the world’s top players were. Now it’s come over to Europe.”

Again, I must ask the question: Who exactly is complaining? Where is all of this uproar about Lee Westwood’s return to #1? Have I completely overlooked a major outcry that has evolved from his win over the weekend???

“While admitting there may be “resentment” in certain quarters that Westwood is the first player for some time to hold the No 1 ranking without having won a major, Montgomerie believes part of the criticism being aimed at the Englishman is purely down to Americans not being able to get their heads around the changing face of world golf. Asked if felt it was down to golfing snobbery, he added: “I don’t think it’s that. I think it’s just that they can’t quite fathom that the power of America has changed. This major power, if you like, once felt superior and it is now different. “The top three in the world are non-American. And they don’t have a major champion. Plus the Ryder Cup. Five major trophies, if you like, that we hold. So they’re going to shout out and say something about why should this be.”

Who exactly is shouting? The PGA Tour commissioner isn’t shouting. He didn’t take it personal when Kaymer, Westwood, and McIlroy declined full PGA Tour membership status. He understood. He also told those guys that they were welcomed to come back and play here in the States anytime they wanted. Is Tiger shouting? Mickelson? Kuchar? Bubba Watson? Again, I ask who is doing all of this “shouting” that Monty speaks of? The occasional quack tabloid sports reporter whose goal is to fabricate this false perception of patriotic bravado? He and Dempster are giving these types the attention they crave?

It’s either that they don’t truly understand that the overriding sentiment here in the States is that yes – Europe is the current hotspot in the world of golf, or they do understand and they’re just going out of their way to remind the bloody yanks anyhow. Either way – who really cares? Isn’t the world big enough for two powerhouse golf tours? Or do we need to do an official World Golf Tour Ranking and see if maybe Europe can debate whether or not they have the better tournaments, the better product?

I don’t understand the ruckus. There is no uproar, there is no shouting, there is no outcry. Except coming from some strange kooks in Europe.

But for what it’s worth, boys…. enjoy the limelight. You’ve waited long enough for it. You’ve played second fiddle for a long, long time and you deserve it. But the least you could do is at least act like you’ve been there before. This “power” has certainly gotten to your heads, already.

Martin Dempster: Westwood Will Never Be #1 in the Eyes of Americans

Courtesy of Getty Images

Came across an interesting article today, and I had absolutely no choice but to throw it on the blog. I think it’s the perfect time to clear the airwaves a bit, and separate a lot of notable myths from reality.

I will casually read some of Martin Dempster’s stuff from time to time, as he seems to have a reasonable pulse on European Tour happenings. But HIS MOST RECENT COLUMN was not one of his best efforts. In fact – it could be the most dreadful post as I’ve ever read from him. I’m going to select some quotes from the article and make my own commentary. I’ll allow you to be the judge of what is or isn’t off base.

“Last time Westood topped the heap, our American cousins didn’t like the fact he had ended Tiger Woods’ long reign at the top without him having won a major. Now they’re grumbling because he regained the No 1 spot by beating a field of “nobodies” to win the Indonesian Masters.”

Despite it being one of the weakest fields in golf, and despite Westwood accepting appearance money (which most European writers deem regrettable when it happens to be an American on the receiving end) no one is grumbling this week because Lee Westwood moved to the top of the world rankings. In fact – most Americans are more than eager to see someone other than Tiger Woods sitting atop the OWGR Penthouse for a change. Speaking of which – maybe now is a great time to reiterate the common perception on this side of the pond, and that perception is this: The Official World Golf Ranking system might mean something to the players themselves, but it’s merely window dressing for the rest of us. The fact that a player could basically be idle for nearly 2 seasons, of which Woods essentially was with injury and scandal for most of the time from 2009 and onward, and hold such a great margin that his #1 status went unchanged for nearly an entire season – it more or less proves that the system itself isn’t overly reliable.

“According to another US-based observer, the Englishman needs to “win something that matters” and “beat somebody who matters” to “give us a reason to believe you really deserve that No 1 world ranking”. In other words, win something on the PGA Tour. That, of course, won’t be in The Players’ Championship, its flagship event, in a fortnight’s time. Westwood isn’t playing at Sawgrass and that is part of the reason he’ll not get the plaudits he deserves for becoming the first player to regain the top spot since Woods got it back from Vijay Singh by winning the 2005 Masters.”

While yes – ideally beating “somebody who matters” or winning a tournament “that matters” would certainly seem to add to the perception that a player (like Westwood) is deserving of the “Best in the World” status, most of us who actually follow golf well enough to attempt to understand this imperfect system also recognize the value of consistent performance. If we use major championships alone as the key barometer – then couldn’t we make the argument that Phil Mickelson should be ranked higher than Lee Westwood? And we know that this isn’t the case. As it relates to which continent he competes in – the PGA Tour has always been the measuring bar of success, the biggest stage with the biggest purses in all of golf. Despite the likes of Kaymer, Westwood, McDowell, and McIlroy opting to stay loyal to their home tour – that’s not going to change. Not that players should follow the money and migrate to another continent, uprooting their families and starting a new life just to prove how great they are against the likes of Woods, Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, etc…. but if that’s ultimately the goal, then obviously they have a decision to make. Contrary to popular belief – very few fans here take offense to any of those players staying loyal to where they live. Would we like to see them competing more here? Sure. But we respect the reasons why they don’t.

“Sure, the field Westwood beat to win in Jakarta was one of the weakest assembled anywhere in the world this year and, if truth be told, he was only there himself because he was being paid a handsome appearance fee. But, on the day of his 38th birthday, Westwood became the first player in six years to have arrived at an event knowing he had to win to become No 1 and actually pull it off. No-one has failed more miserably in that position than Phil Mickelson yet many Americans seem more interested in picking holes in Westwood’s feats than asking why ‘Lefty’ has under-achieved to the extent he has in recent years.”

How insensitive of a prick can one be…. How would Lee Westwood have fared upon learning that both his wife and mother were diagnosed with cancer? And then, a year later, learning that he himself had a rare, incurable form of chronic arthritis that got so bad that he actually thought he might never play golf again? Martin Dempster – you sir are quickly becoming an under-achieving writer to use this guy as an example of why Lee Westwood is great, of which isn’t needed in the first place.

“What makes the apparent reluctance to accept Westwood as the best player on the planet at this moment in time all the more frustrating is that the American viewpoint would have been different if another Englishman had secured the No 1 ranking on Sunday. Needing to win The Heritage, Luke Donald certainly gave it his best shot, almost holing from a bunker at the 72nd hole before losing in a play-off to Brandt Snedeker. In six starts this season, Donald has secured five top 10s, including a win in the WGC-Accenture Match Play and a share of fourth in The Masters. Without question, he has the best short game in the business right now and holes those six to ten-footers with the same regularity as Woods once did. Yet, compared to his fellow countryman, Donald still has a lot to prove in terms of being a regular contender in majors. The Americans like Donald. He went to college there, lives in the States and plays most of his golf on the PGA Tour. They’re not so keen on Westwood, who didn’t go to college there, lives in Worksop and declined to become a member of the PGA Tour because spending quality time at home with his family is more important than jumping back and forward across the Atlantic.“

As I noted earlier, most American fans don’t have an issue with European players opting to play where they wish. Or their fellow American players for that matter. But this is more than we can surmise about you, as you obviously take issue with Luke Donald’s decision to play in America. And for that reason – you’re attempting to discount him because of his performance in the majors, the same thing that you essentially tout as the fictitious reason why Americans feel that Lee Westwood doesn’t belong. The more you write, the more desperate and irrational you become in proving your point it seems.

“Yet it has thrown up a scenario that can only be good for the game, as the now dethroned Martin Kaymer was the first to acknowledge last week when he was asked about how he felt about his position as No 1 being under threat from both Westwood and Donald. Kaymer himself has no complaints about Westwood being back on top of those rankings, admitting his Ryder Cup team-mate has been the game’s most consistent performer over the past couple of years. It’s just a pity that very few on the other side of the Atlantic seem prepared to acknowledge that fact, though we all know, of course, that some people just won’t be content until Woods is back as No 1. They’ll be the ones with the long faces as the game enjoys an exciting period as the battle for the hottest seat in sport continues.”

Unless you happen to be in the minority of people who continue to overlook the current situation surrounding Tiger Woods, which now not only includes his inability to return to the winner’s circle, but maybe even more significantly – the cloud of uncertainty surrounding his most recent knee injury – very few people expect Tiger to return as the undisputed top player in the world anytime soon, if ever. His most loyal of supporters think otherwise… they continue looking to the past without surveying the present. Even if his left knee had to be amputated, they would still claim him to be the best in the world currently. But they are in the minority, sir. The rest of us who watch the game from an unbiased viewpoint don’t see things the way they do, or the way you do for that matter. The only time the US vs THEM sentiment arises is every other year during the Ryder Cup. Stop making this out to be something it isn’t.

In closing, Lee Westwood is a great player on a tour that has exploded with talent over the past several years. I think it’s good for golf, period. But the elitist attitude that assumes the European players aren’t getting their due attention because of their lack of affiliation with the PGA Tour is not only unfounded, but utter nonsense.

$.02

Snedeker’s Attitude Reaps Rewards

Read Brandt Snedeker’s post-tournament interview Sunday afternoon, shortly after winning the Heritage Tournament. Read it closely.

“You know, I did not envision sitting in this room when I teed off at noon. I didn’t have really any expectations today, at all. I went out there and I worked really hard with my instructor last night for a couple hours after we got done. I didn’t play very well yesterday. Came out today and just kind of everything clicked. I drove the ball fantastic. Came up with a lot of birdie opportunities. I think I only missed a couple of greens out there on the golf course. I was really striking the golf ball pretty well. I rolled it the way like I’ve been rolling it for the last month, just fantastic. Got good looks at it.”

Didn’t play well the day before…. worked on his golf swing after the round…. came out the next day with no expectations…. shot 7-under 64 and ended up winning the golf tournament.

Do yourself a huge favor your next round out: ditch the expectations. Play each shot as it comes, giving it the same level of importance as the shot before. Expect the unexpected. Golf is unpredictable, after all. You have absolutely no control of the wind, the squirrely bounces, or the quality of the lie that your ball finds after each shot. Control the things that you can control, like your attitude. Let everything else come as it may.

The only expectations you should have are doing your best on every shot, which also takes into consideration the decisions you make, and accepting the shot afterward – good, bad, or indifferent. And throw in a smile or two for good measure from time to time. It’s only a game.

Tiger to Miss Quail Hollow Because of Knee Injury

I want you to watch THIS RECENT SWING from Tiger very closely. Notice the awkward stance, and the enormous amount of pressure that he puts on both knees as he tries to extricate himself from the pine straw under the Eisenhower tree at the Masters two weeks ago. This was on Saturday. On Sunday, nothing appeared unusual. At least through 17 holes. But on his approach shot on the 18th, you can clearly see him wince in considerable pain, gritting his teeth, head down, lifting his leg slightly. That happened 16 days ago. Today, word came from the Woods camp that Tiger is taking the next couple of weeks off to give his left knee some rest, announcing that he has withdrawn from the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow next week.  For the record, it’s being labeled a “minor” injury to his left knee and Achilles tendon.

“This is precautionary. We’re not at all concerned,” said Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG. “He’s just listening to his doctors, which is kind of nice. He certainly didn’t listen to them before the U.S. Open in 2008.”

Not concerned, eh…. I’d have to wager a guess that that sentiment pretty much sums up Jack Nicklaus’ thoughts about his record 18 majors standing good. Given the nature of his prior injury, not to mention the scope of how hard he still swings a golf club much of the time – I’m surprised that his most recent knee surgery held up as long as it did.

Take a scorecard to the range

We’ve all  heard the saying, “There’s no keeping score at the range”, right? Well, it’s time to change that!

Next time you go to the range, bring a scorecard from a course you play often. “Play the course” on the range. If the first hole is a par 4, picture that fairway and hit your tee shot. Now mark you card if you believe you would have hit the fairway. Next is the approach.

You should be able to make your best guess as to what you’d have left. Pick a target and using visualization, see the green and make your swing. GIR? Yes? No? Mark your card accordingly.

Play the entire course. Be honest. Be hard on yourself. At the end of your range session you should have a fairly good indicator of fairways hit and GIR’s.

When you’re playing the course at the range, use different targets for your approaches. Create different fairways for your tee shots. Be imaginative. Challenge yourself.

In the end, you’ll have taken that first giant step on the path to “Practicing with a purpose”.

Play well

Nick

Mother Nature Dormie in Match Against Spring Golf

It’s been a number of years since I can recall such a miserable, wet, and unseasonably cool spring. No golf was played last Saturday anywhere in the Northeast. And it appears that no golf will be played either Saturday nor Sunday this week as well. I honestly don’t know how a lot of public golf courses that are barely keeping their heads above the financial waters are holding on…. the economy has hit the golf industry extremely hard, and Mother Nature seems bound and determined to deliver the knockout punch to a lot of these troubled facilities that are desperately relying on every last golfer to somehow survive through this season.

So I will get up in the morning, walk to the window and look outside (if I don’t already hear the water gushing down the gutter drainpipes). I will most likely be making a call to my golf buddies informing them of the obvious. And we will once again find ourselves looking so very much forward to next weekend, only to be bitchslapped by Mother Nature again.

The vicious cycle continues, with no end in sight…..

It’s 4th and Long for the Heritage Tournament

Unless something changes drastically and very soon, this week will mark the end of a 41-yr tradition at Hilton Head Island, SC. After Verizon decided that last year would be their final year to maintain their title sponsorship of the Heritage Tournament, most felt that securing a new title sponsor wouldn’t be an issue. Yet nearly 52 weeks have passed, and while there have been a few nibbles here and there during this time – no one has taken the bait.

There’s plenty of blame to be shouldered. First and foremost, obviously, is the economy. Despite the growing optimism on Wall Street, companies and corporations just aren’t feeling it. Convincing a potential suitor to let go of $6 million during these still-uncertain times is no easy task. Maybe part of the blame can be shouldered by the tour itself, as most tournament purses have climbed some 60 percent over the past decade. Back in 2001, the purse for the Heritage was $3.5 million. This week the players will be competing for $5.7 million. Sure, the tour’s operational expenses have increased over the years, but maybe it’s time to reel back some of the unnecessary spending, just as every other company and corporation has had to do over the past 3-4 years. Does Finchem truly believe that his product is recession proof, that the bubble is going to continue expanding without popping, unlike the housing crisis? And maybe we can throw some of the blame on the shoulders of the tour’s biggest names, players who for whatever reason couldn’t care less if this tournament signs a new sponsor and stays on the schedule or not. Not that we expect the top stars to play in every event, but maybe show up once in a while to generate some new excitement, show some appreciation for the fact that they have a sponsor willing to contribute to the stage and the money they’re playing for. Afterall, it’s never good for the tour to lose a tournament, much less one that has been on the books as long as this one has.

But that’s on the verge of happening. With the upcoming schedule for 2012 coming due very shortly, it’s beyond crunch time. It’s 4th and long, the clock is running out, and they have to go the length of the field. Otherwise, this show ends this Sunday.

Matteo Manessero’s Win Reveals Looming Trouble for Captain Love

A pretty thorough perspective about the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah from John Feinstein.

“Matteo Manessero moved up to No. 33 in the world ranking after his victory in Malaysia on Sunday – which came two days prior to his 18th birthday. Let’s put aside for a second how precocious a talent Manassero is and consider that he is now the 13th highest ranked European in the world. If the 2012 Ryder Cup team were selected today based on the rankings, Manassero wouldn’t make the team. That’s a little bit scary if you are U.S. captain Davis Love III. Even scarier: By the time the Ryder Cup rolls around 18 months from now you can almost bet that Manassero will be on Jose Maria Olazabal’s team. In all likelihood so will six of the current top-8 in the world. And most of them should be on an upward curve since many are not yet 30.”

Dustin Johnson and Caddie Bobby Brown Go Separate Ways

Just some miscellaneous quotes from the USA Today article highlighted below.

“They just decided to take a break for awhile,” David Winkle of Hambric Sports Management said in an email.

“This isn’t about finding a replacement as quickly as possible,” Winkle said. “It’s about finding the right person.”

“There’s no bad blood between him and me,” Brown told Golf World. “We are very cool with each other and will remain very close. We’re like brothers.”

Frankly, I don’t think it happened soon enough. Without reliving the Whistling Straits debacle, there’s no denying that DJ would have benefited from a seasoned, take-charge type caddie on his bag back last August. As well, he needs someone who isn’t afraid to tell him what he needs to hear sometimes…. a fatherly figure if you will. Someone who can remind him that he has a world of potential and that he needs to take his career more seriously if he plans on realizing it.

Russ Cochran’s Sunday Mess

It’s not that often that a seasoned caddie gets mentioned in a player’s credits after a tournament win, but there’s no denying the value of a seasoned perspective from someone who has a vested interest in his player’s success. Especially coming down the stretch on Sunday, with his player in control of the tournament with only an hour or so of tournament golf remaining. It can be the difference between a boring walk-in-the-park victory, or an epic meltdown that is outright unexplainable. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars lie in the balance. But beyond the money earned is the prestige of being a winner, and all of the confidence that comes along with it.

But on Sunday night, with his confidence seriously shaken, I have to imagine that Russ Cochran didn’t get a whole lot of sleep.

That afternoon, Cochran came to the par5 14th at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am with a comfortable 2-shot cushion. His closest contender and fellow playing partner John Cook had a miserable opening 9 holes and was 1-over par, 2-shots back. The par5 14th at TPC Tampa Bay is long with plenty of trouble to avoid, particularly off the tee. But the trouble lurking doesn’t end there, as water and various bunkers make the second shot all the more important. Both Cook and Cochran hit solid tee shots that split the fairway, with Cochran 10 yards or so closer to the green. Cook would be first to play.

A lot of times while we watch a golf tournament on television, we forget all about the process involved for the players being covered. But I listened eagerly to Cook’s caddie, who took a hands-on approach discussing the objective for the 2nd shot his player was about to hit. He knew his player was laying up, much too far back to go at the green some 300 yards away. It’s worth noting that Cook isn’t one of the longer hitters on the Champions Tour, but is one of the most accurate. The only thing on their minds at that point was the target line, and the distance they wanted on their 3rd shot approach. Cook’s caddie handed him the 3iron, telling him, “This is the club. Hit only when you’re ready.” Of course – Cook hit a nice 2nd shot to the center of the fairway, leaving him a full wedge approach.

No sooner than Cook’s ball landed in the fairway, NBC’s on-course commentator Dottie Pepper noted that Cochran wasted little time fetching a club from his bag and was already in his pre-shot routine. That’s when Gary Koch commented on the “bold play” that Cochran seemed to have opted for, with a 3wood in his hands. Koch said, “I don’t understand this play. At this stage you put an iron in your player’s hand and you tell him to lay the ball up. I really don’t understand this….” To add even more risk to the shot, Cochran was aiming at the water that ran down the left side of the fairway, trying to work the ball back to the green over the water. He took a mighty rip, and watched emotionless as the ball refused to move offline from its certain watery death. Splash….

As Cochran was going through the process of determining where he needed to drop his ball, Koch also noted that there was very little talk going on between Cochran and his caddie for pretty much the entire hole. Cochran’s caddie happens to be his son, Ryan. Ryan was a standout amateur golfer who played college golf at the University of Florida (thank you Jackie!) several years ago, but beyond that has very little big-time experience in pro golf. For the most part – Ryan seems to be a pack mule more than anything else, but in all fairness – who wouldn’t want their son on the bag for what appears to be a blossoming second career!

Cochran takes his drop and still has 190 yards to the green for his 4th shot. Horrible lie, ball well below his feet. Cochran overcompensated for the side-hill lie and pulled his 4th shot short and right of the green. But things continue to get more interesting. As Cochran walks up the fairway with his head down, Cook senses a golden opportunity and fires his 3rd shot with wedge to 6 feet for birdie. Then, Dottie Pepper notes that Cochran can still get up and down to save a bogey, since he has a very good lie in the light rough. Then things just get downright whacky….

Cochran looks at what appears to be a very good lie, facing a delicate pitch shot over a bunker to a hole location some 25 feet away. It’s not an impossible shot to get close, but the odds are more in favor of needing to hole a 10 footer to save bogey. But Cochran doesn’t even consider looking at the hole location. He starts looking at the contours on the left side of the green, playing completely away from the hole. This prompts Gary Koch to ask Dottie Pepper, “Dottie, are you sure that the lie is okay? He’s pulled a hybrid from his bag and looks like he’s considering playing an overly conservative bump-n-run type shot away from the hole.” Dottie confirms what the viewers see – a ball sitting up cleanly in the light green-side rough. Koch responds, “Well, I don’t know why he’s taking such a conservative route, Dottie. Unless he’s afraid of hitting a pitch shot with his wedge, which could be the case. But he’s 10 for 10 this week with up-n-down saves, so this is quite interesting.” Cochran brushes the grass with a few practice strokes with the hybrid, and then haphazardly jabs the club into the back of the ball, watching it run across the back portion of the green and down into a runoff back behind the green. But the fun isn’t over.

Cochran is now faced with a pitch shot to the green some 5 feet above him. Now if he can pitch the ball within reason, he has an outside shot at saving a double bogey. He has plenty of green to work with, and while it’s not the easiest of shots to pull off, it would certainly be expected of him to leave himself that 5-10 foot range to make a putt. Given the enormous mess that he’s made the past 10 minutes, a double bogey suddenly doesn’t seem like a bad score. But Cochran once again refuses to pull a wedge from the bag, opting instead for the putter. This prompts yet another comment from Koch in the booth. “I really don’t understand what I’m seeing, Roger. The smart play at this point would be to take a wedge, land it on the green, let the slope funnel it down toward the hole and take what you get. But putting this ball from this far back, up that steep embankment just brings a lot of added things to account for.” Right on cue – Cochran putts the ball up the bank and watches the ball come to a complete stop a mere 8 feet onto the green. He then missed the 20 footer for double bogey, tapping in for a triple.

Cook drains his birdie for a 4-shot swing, and finds himself in the catbird seat to win his second tournament of the season. Cook would go on to post a double bogey himself on the final hole of the tournament, but would win in the playoff. Russ Cochran went from cashing a first-place check to finishing T3, all in the matter of 15 minutes. Would Cochran have avoided this disastrous meltdown had a seasoned caddie been on his bag Sunday? Who knows. But we do know this – it certainly couldn’t have hurt his chances.

There’s a lesson to be learned in all of this: when things are going along smoothly and you appear to be on the verge of shooting a great score or winning a match, take a moment before each shot to understand the situation. Clear your mind. Make wise decisions. Don’t get ahead of yourself and ruin what has every reason to be a joyous occasion. In other words – be your own best caddie.